Avoid these 15 cities if you want a friendly experience

People in Red Square, with St. Basil's Cathedral seen in the background, in central Moscow on February 6.
Maxim Zmeyev/Reuters
There is little more disheartening than going on vacation and feeling unwelcome in a city or having no one to turn to when you need some directions.

Every year, Travel + Leisure asks its readers to rank 266 cities from around the globe based on factors including value for money, friendliness, and food and culture.

15) Boston — This isn't the first time Boston has had a hard time in the friendliness rankings. A study by the University of Michigan in 2011 crowned it the "unfriendliest city in America."

14) Frankfurt, Germany — A city's airport is often the first impression that tourists get of their destination, and Frankfurt Airport, which is plagued with negative reviews of unfriendly employees, has had a knock-on effect on the reputation of Germany's fifth-most-populous city.

13) Washington D.C. — D.C. is one of nine US cities that made the list. One Travel + Leisure reader described it as having "Southern efficiency and Northern charm." — make of that what you will.

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12) Miami — Miami's white sands and glitzy beachfront clearly aren't enough to distract tourists from the unhelpful locals. One Miami resident wrote on City-Data that the rudeness was "out of control."

11) Beijing — It wasn't just Travel + Leisure readers who found Beijing locals to be unhelpful. Trip Advisor's survey of 54,000 people found Beijing has the least helpful locals after Moscow's.

9) Las Vegas — Some people say alcohol brings out the best in people, but that may not be true in the city of sin. One visitor went as far as branding the city "antisocial," despite its party-fuelled nightlife.

8) Baltimore — Baltimore has been rocked by unrest and poverty in recent years, leading to a plunge in tourism and leaving much of the city in need of renewal.

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7) Philadelphia — Tourists apparently see the "City of Brotherly Love" as a misnomer.

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6) New York City — There are over 8 million people in New York with places to be and things to do, so don't expect the average New Yorker to stop for a chat. Instead, try spending your time visiting one of the world-class museums or sampling the city's famous landmarks.

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5) Los Angeles — LA has nice weather year-round, it's home to the rich and famous, and it has Venice Beach on its doorstep — what's not to love?!

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4) Marseille, France — Its high crime rates are likely to make residents and tourists alike feel uneasy.

3) St Petersburg, Russia — The city may be dense with history and culture, being founded by Peter the Great in 1703, but Travel + Leisure's readers found the locals to be unwelcoming. Expect to be overcharged for things if you don't speak Russian, one Trip Advisor user warns.

2) Atlantic City, New Jersey — The locals in the city famed for its rich gambling scene and bright lights fail to charm the city's visitors. While some visitors fall in love with the city's party scene, another Trip Advisor user referred to it as "tinsel town in the middle of abject poverty."